Double silicon-on-insulator (SOI) metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor (MOSFET) structures

ABSTRACT

A SOI MOSFET structure having a reduced step height between the various semiconductor layers without adversely affecting the junction capacitance of the semiconductor device formed on the uppermost semiconductor layer as well as a method of fabricating the same are provided. The structure of the present invention includes an elevated device region having at least one semiconductor device located on a second semiconductor layer. The elevated device region further includes a source/drain junction that extends from the second semiconductor layer down to a first buried insulator layer that is located on an upper surface of the semiconductor substrate. The structure also includes a recessed device region having at least one semiconductor device located atop a first semiconductor layer which is located on an upper surface of the first buried insulator. An isolation region separates the elevated device region from the recessed device region.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a semiconductor device and a method offabricating the same, and more particularly to a doublesilicon-on-insulator (SOI) metal oxide semiconductor field effecttransistor (MOSFET) structure and a method of fabricating such astructure.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In the semiconductor industry, it is known to form nFETs and pFETs onsemiconductor substrates that contain various heterolayers. Suchtechnology is described, for example, in A. Sadek, et al. “Design ofSi/SiGe Heterojunction Complementary Metal-Oxide-SemiconductorTransistors”, Electron Devices, IEEE Transactions, Vol. 43, Issue 8,August 1996, pp. 1224–1232. Specifically, an optimized Si/SiGeheterostructure for CMOS transistor operation is provided in the A.Sadek, et al. article which has a planar design and avoids inversion ofthe Si layer at the oxide interface.

In such technology, the basic idea is to form a plurality of layers in asingle structure, and then fabricate nFET and pFET channels in theirrespectively optimal material layer. For example, tensile-strained Sifor nFETs and compressive-strained SiGe for pFETs. This is usuallyachieved in the prior art by either etching away unnecessary layers inselective areas, or by growing layers in selective areas.

One evolution of the foregoing is to fabricate a structure that consistsof multiple semiconductor layers and insulator layers such assemiconductor layer 2/insulator 2/semiconductor 1/insulator 1/substrate.Some devices, e.g., nFETs, pFETs or a combination thereof, can befabricated in semiconductor layer 1, while other devices can befabricated in semiconductor layer 2. Since both semiconductor layers arelocated on an insulator, the devices formed thereon will be SOI FETs.

One problem with the foregoing approaches is that there exists a stepregion (consisting of the various semiconductor layers) between thedifferent types of device structures. This is especially prevalent inthe semiconductor/insulator/semiconductor structure where it ispreferred that the insulator layers be at least several hundredAngstroms thick.

The foregoing thickness requirement is needed to provide devices thathave minimal junction capacitance. Hence, a tradeoff exists between thejunction capacitance and the step height between different types ofsemiconductor devices. For instance, in a structure that consists ofsemiconductor 2, insulator 2, semiconductor 1, and insulator 1 layersstacked in order, the junction capacitance of the FETs fabricated on thesemiconductor 2 is strongly influenced by the thickness of the insulator2 layer. In order to minimize the junction capacitance and to realizehigher circuit speed, the insulator 2 layer needs to be thick. On theother hand, the thickness of the insulator 2 layer adds to the stepheight between semiconductor 1 and semiconductor 2. For optimalintegration of high density circuits, this step height (and thus thethickness of the insulator 2 layer) needs to be as small as possible.

There is thus a need for providing a semiconductor structure in whichSOI MOSFETs are formed on a plurality of semiconductor layers such thatthe step height between the various devices is substantially reduced,without penalizing the junction capacitance of the device fabricated onthe upper semiconductor layer.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a structure and method that achieves SOIMOSFETs formed on a plurality of semiconductor layers (withindependently selected material and thickness) all integrated in asingle substrate. The structure of the present invention also allows fora thin insulator (thus reduced step height) between the semiconductorlayers without penalizing the junction capacitance of the device to befabricated on the upper semiconductor layer.

In broad terms, the structure of the present invention comprises:

an elevated device region having at least one semiconductor devicelocated on a second semiconductor layer, wherein said elevated deviceregion further comprises a source/drain junction which extends from thesecond semiconductor layer down to a first buried insulator layer thatis located on an upper surface of a semiconductor substrate, said firstburied insulator is separated from the second semiconductor layer by afirst semiconductor layer and a second buried insulator layer;

a recessed device region having at least one semiconductor devicelocated atop a first semiconductor layer which is located on an uppersurface of the first buried insulator; and

an isolation region separating said elevated device region from saidrecessed device region.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the elevated device regionincludes a merged source/drain region that is self-aligned to an edge ofan isolation region and a spacer of the device located in the elevateddevice region.

In another embodiment of the present invention, the elevated deviceregion includes a merged source/drain region that is not self-aligned toan edge of an isolation region and a spacer of the device located in theelevated device region.

Another aspect of the present invention relates to a method offabricating the aforementioned structure. Specifically, and in broadterms, the method of the present invention comprises the steps of:

providing a structure comprising an elevated device region and arecessed device region that are separated from each other by anisolation region, said elevated device region comprising a firstinsulator layer located on a substrate, a first semiconductor layerlocated on the first insulating layer, a second insulator layer locatedon the first semiconductor layer, and a second semiconductor layerlocated on the second insulator layer, and said recessed device regioncomprising said first buried insulator and said first semiconductorlayer;

forming semiconductor devices in said elevated device region and saidrecessed device region, wherein the semiconductor device in the elevateddevice region is formed on the second semiconductor layer and the devicein the recessed device region is formed on the first semiconductorlayer;

forming merged source/drain regions in said elevated device region thatlay on the first semiconductor layer; and

forming junctions in the elevated and recessed device regions, saidjunction in the recessed device region extends from an upper surface ofthe second semiconductor layer down to the first buried insulator layer.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a pictorial representation (through a cross sectional view)illustrating a double SOI MOSFET structure of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a pictorial representation (through a cross sectional view)illustrating another double SOI MOSFET structure of the presentinvention.

FIGS. 3A–3E are pictorial representations (through cross sectionalviews) illustrating the basic processing steps of the present inventionwhich can be used to form the structure shown in FIG. 1.

FIGS. 4A–4D are pictorial representations (through cross sectionalviews) illustrating an alternative embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention, which provides a double SOI MOSFET structurehaving a reduced step height between the various semiconductor layers,while not adversely affecting the junction capacitance of thesemiconductor device located on the upper semiconductor layer, will nowbe described in greater detail by referring to the drawings thataccompany the present application.

FIGS. 1 and 2 show cross sectional views of the double SOI MOSFETstructure 100 of the present invention. Specifically, the double SOIMOSFET structure 100 of the present invention comprises semiconductorsubstrate 10, first buried insulating layer 12 located on an uppersurface of the semiconductor substrate 10, first semiconductor layer 14located on an upper surface of a portion of the first buried insulatorlayer 12, elevated device region 16 and recessed (relative to theelevated device region 16) device region 18. As shown, the recesseddevice region 18 is located directly on top of the first semiconductorlayer 14. The recessed device region 18 includes a FET (n- or p-type) 20which comprises junction regions 22 located in the first semiconductorlayer 14, a gate dielectric 24 located on a surface portion of the firstsemiconductor layer 14, gate conductor 26 located on the gate dielectric24, and spacers 28 that are located on at least the sidewalls of thegate conductor 26.

The elevated device region 16, which is separated from the recesseddevice region 18 by an isolation region 30, includes a second buriedinsulator layer 32 located on a surface portion of the firstsemiconductor layer 14, a second semiconductor layer 34 located on thesecond buried insulator layer 32, junctions 35 located in the secondsemiconductor layer 34, the second buried insulator layer 32 and thefirst semiconductor layer 14, and merged S/D regions 36 that areself-aligned to the spacers 42 of the FET 21 located in the elevateddevice region 16. FIG. 2 shows an embodiment of the present invention inwhich the merged S/D regions 36 are not self-aligned to the spacers 42of the FET 21 located in the elevated device region 16.

The elevated device region 16 includes FET (either n- or p-type) 21 thatcomprises gate dielectric 38 located on a surface portion of the secondsemiconductor layer 34, gate conductor 40 located on the gate dielectric38, and spacers 42 that are located on at least the sidewalls of thegate conductor 40.

By utilizing a layer transfer technique, to be described in greaterdetail below, the choice of material (e.g., element, strain state,crystal orientation, and layer structure, i.e., homogeneous orheterogeneous) and thickness of the first semiconductor layer 14 and thesecond semiconductor layer 34 can be independently made. Additionally,the layer transfer technique also allows for independent choice ofthickness for first buried insulator layer 12 and the second buriedinsulator layer 32.

In the structures shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the first semiconductor layer14 is in electrical contact with the second semiconductor layer 34. Thismeans that the source/drain junction of the elevated device is incontact with the first buried insulator layer 12. Hence, the capacitanceseen at this node will be across the first buried insulator layer 12,not the second buried insulator layer 32. This decouples the junctioncapacitance of the elevated device from the thickness of the secondburied insulator layer 32 allowing lower junction capacitance in theelevated device region 16. Moreover, this allows for utilizing a thinsecond buried insulator layer 32 such that the step height H between theelevated device and the recessed device can be substantially reduced.The step height H denotes the distance between the upper surfaces ofeach semiconductor layer in which a device is fabricated upon. In thedrawings, the step height H is the distance between the upper surface ofthe second semiconductor layer 34 and the upper surface of the firstsemiconductor layer 14.

The process employed in the present invention for fabricating the doubleSOI MOSFET structures shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 will now be described ingreater detail. Reference is first made to FIG. 3A which shows aninitial structure 102 that can be employed in the present invention. Theinitial structure 102 includes semiconductor substrate 10, first buriedinsulator layer 12, first semiconductor layer 14, second buriedinsulator layer 32 and second semiconductor layer 34.

The initial structure 102 shown in FIG. 3A can be fabricated usingconventional procedures well known to those skilled in the art. Forexample, a layer transfer process can be used in which wafer bonding isemployed. In the layer transfer process, two semiconductor wafers arebonded together. The two wafers used in fabricating the initialstructure 102 may include two SOI wafers, wherein one of the wafersincludes the first buried insulator layer 12 and the first semiconductorlayer 14 and the other wafer includes the second insulator layer 32 andthe second semiconductor layer 34; an SOI wafer and a bulk semiconductorwafer; two bulk semiconductor wafers; or an SOI wafer and a bulk waferwhich includes an ion implant region such as a H₂ implant region whichcan be used to split a portion of at least one of the wafers duringbonding.

Bonding is achieved by first bringing the two wafers into intimatecontact with other; optionally applying an external force to thecontacted wafers; and then heating the two contacted wafers underconditions that are capable of bonding the two wafers together. Theheating step may be performed in the presence or absence of an externalforce. The heating step is typically performed in an inert ambient at atemperature from about 200° to about 1050° C. for a time period fromabout 2 to about 20 hours. More preferably, the bonding is performed ata temperature from about 200° to about 400° C. for a time period fromabout 2 to about 20 hours. The term “inert ambient” is used in thepresent invention to denote an atmosphere in which an inert gas, such asHe, Ar, N₂, Xe, Kr or a mixture thereof, is employed. One preferredambient used during the bonding process is N₂.

In the embodiment where two SOI wafers are employed, some materiallayers of at least one of the SOI wafers may be removed after bondingutilizing a planarization process such as chemical mechanical polishing(CMP) or grinding and etching.

In the embodiment in which one of the wafers includes an ion implantregion, the ion implant region forms a porous region during bondingwhich causes a portion of the wafer above the ion implant region tobreak off leaving a bonded wafer. The implant region is typicallycomprised of H₂ ions which are implanted into the surface of the waferutilizing ion implantation conditions that are well known to thoseskilled in the art.

The semiconductor substrate 10 of the initial structure 102 comprisesany semiconductor material known to those skilled in the art.Illustrative examples of semiconductor materials that can be employed asthe substrate 10 include, but are not limited to: Si, SiC, SiGe, SiGeC,Ge alloys, GaAs, InAs, InP as well as other III/V or II/VI compoundsemiconductors. The thickness of the substrate 10 is inconsequential tothe present invention.

The first buried insulator layer 12 is an oxide, nitride, oxynitride orother dielectric material. In a preferred embodiment of the presentinvention, the first buried insulating layer 12 is an oxide. Thethickness of the first buried insulator layer 12 may vary depending onthe origin of the layer. Typically, however, the first buried insulatorlayer 12 has a thickness from about 5 to about 500 nm, with a thicknessfrom about 50 to about 200 nm being more highly preferred.

The first semiconductor layer 14 is comprised of any semiconductingmaterial including, for example, Si, SiC, SiGe, SiGeC, Ge alloys, GaAs,InAs, inP as well as other III/V or II/VI compound semiconductors. Firstsemiconductor layer 14 may comprise a homogeneous material including oneof the same elements mentioned above, or layer 14 may be a heterogeneousstructure in which at least two different elements mentioned above arestacked on top of each other. The first semiconductor layer 14 can haveany known crystal orientation including, for example, (100), (110),(111) and the like. The first semiconductor layer 14 may be unstrained,strained or a combination of strained and unstrained.

The thickness of the first semiconductor layer 14 may vary depending onthe initial starting wafers used to form the structure 102. Typically,however, the first semiconductor layer 14 has a thickness from about 2to about 300 nm, with a thickness from about 5 to about 150 nm beingmore highly preferred.

The second buried insulator layer 32, which is located between the firstsemiconductor layer 14 and the second semiconductor layer 34 has avariable thickness depending upon the initial wafers used to create thestructure 102. Typically, however, the second buried insulator 32 has athickness from about 2 to about 500 nm, with a thickness from about 5 toabout 50 nm being more highly preferred. The second buried insulatorlayer 32 may be composed of one of the dielectrics mentioned above. Thesecond buried insulator layer 32 can be comprised of the same dielectricas the first buried insulator layer 12, or it may be comprised of adielectric that is different from the first buried insulator layer 12.In a preferred embodiment, the second buried insulator layer 32 is anoxide.

The second semiconductor layer 34 is comprised of any semiconductingmaterial which may be the same or different from that of the firstsemiconductor layer 14. Thus, second semiconductor layer 34 may include,for example, Si, SiC, SiGe, SiGeC, Ge alloys, GaAs, InAs, InP as well asother III/N or II/VI compound semiconductors. The second semiconductorlayer 34 may be strained or unstrained and it may be a homogeneous orheterogenous structure. Second semiconductor layer 34 may also comprisea combination of strained and unstrained layers.

The second semiconductor layer 34 may have a crystallographicorientation which is the same or different from that of the firstsemiconductor layer 14. In one preferred embodiment of the presentinvention, it is preferred that the second semiconductor layer 34 has adifferent crystal orientation than the first semiconductor layer 14.This embodiment of the present invention allows for fabricating MOSFETssuch as pFETs and nFETs on a crystallographic orientation that providesoptimal performance for each type of device; nFETs have an optimalperformance when fabricated on a (100) crystallographic surface, whilepFETs have an optimal performance when fabricated on a (110)crystallographic surface.

The thickness of the second semiconductor layer 34 may vary depending onthe initial starting wafers used to form the structure 102. Typically,however, the second semiconductor layer 34 has a thickness from about 2nm to about 300 nm, with a thickness from about 5 to about 150 nm beingmore highly preferred.

After providing the structure shown in FIG. 3A, isolation regions 30 areformed into the initial structure 102 so as to form the structure shown,for example, in FIG. 3B. As illustrated, the isolation regions 30typically extend from the upper surface of structure 102 through thesecond semiconductor layer 34, the second buried insulator layer 32 andthe first semiconductor layer 14 stopping on top of, or within, thefirst buried insulator layer 12. The isolation regions 30 are used toprovide device isolation between various device regions. In FIG. 3B, theisolation regions 30 provide isolation between an area for a recesseddevice region 18 to be subsequently formed and an area for an elevateddevice region 16.

The isolation regions 30 are formed utilizing conventional trenchisolation techniques well known to those skilled in the art. The trenchisolation techniques include first forming a trench opening in thestructure 102 by lithography and etching, and then filling the trenchopening with a trench dielectric such as a high-density oxide ortetraethylorthosilicate. Following trench fill, the trench dielectricmay optionally be planarized and/or densified. FIG. 3B shows a trenchisolation region that has an upper surface that extends slightly abovethe upper surface of the second semiconductor layer 34. The extended nubportions of the isolation regions 30 are formed by deposited dielectricmaterial such as oxide, nitride, oxynitride, etc.

Next, and as illustrated in FIG. 3C, an etch mask 104 is formed atop thesecond semiconductor layer 34 in which the elevated devices will besubsequently formed. The etch mask 104 is formed by deposition,lithography and etching. The etch mask 104 can be comprised of anitride. The exposed second semiconductor layer 34 and the underlyingsecond buried insulator layer 32 in the recessed device region 18 arethen etched stopping atop a surface of the first semiconductor layer 14.After this recessing step in the device area 18, the etch mask 104 isremoved from the structure utilizing a conventional stripping processwell known to those skilled in the art that selectively removes nitride.

MOSFET devices such as pFETs and/or nFETs are then formed on the exposedsemiconductor layers, i.e., the second semiconductor layer 34 in theelevated device region 16, or the first semiconductor layer 14 in therecessed device region 18. The devices formed in each of the deviceregions can be the same or different. The type of device formed isdependent on the crystallographic surface orientation of thesemiconductor layers, e.g., layers 14 or 34. For example, nFETs aretypically formed when the semiconductor layer has a (100), or a (111)crystallographic orientation, while pFETs are typically formed when thesemiconductor has a (110), or a (111) crystallographic orientation.

Each device includes a gate dielectric 24, 38, a gate conductor 26, 40,and spacers 28, 42. The devices are fabricated using conventionalcomplementary metal oxide semiconductor processing steps that are wellknown to those skilled in the art. The CMOS processing steps includedeposition or thermal growing of a gate dielectric 24, 38, deposition ofa gate conductor 26, 40 and patterning the gate conductor. FIG. 3D showsthe resultant structure including devices 20, 21 formed in each of thedevice regions.

In the drawings, both the gate conductor 26, 40 and the gate dielectric24, 38 are shown to be patterned. The patterning is achieved bylithography and etching. Following the patterning step, spacers 28, 42are formed on at least the exposed sidewalls of the gate conductor 26,40 by deposition and etching. Prior to spacer formation, extension andoptionally halo regions may be formed into the exposed semiconductorlayers 14, 34 by implantation and annealing. The extension and optionalhalo regions are not shown in the drawings of the present invention.

Each of the devices 20, 21 may be composed of the same or differentmaterial. For example, gate dielectric 24, 38 may be comprised of anoxide, nitride, oxynitride or any combination thereof. The gateconductor 26, 40 comprises a conductive elemental metal, a conductivemetal alloy, a conductive silicide, a conductive nitride, polysilicon orany combination thereof. The spacers 28, 42 may be comprised of anoxide, nitride, oxynitride or any combination thereof.

The devices 20, 21 in the elevated device region 16 and the recesseddevice region 18 may be formed at the same time, or the devices may bebuilt at different times. It should be noted that it is possible to forma structure having a plurality of elevated device regions and recesseddevice regions utilizing the method described herein. Also, each deviceregion may include a plurality of devices in each of the regions.

After forming the devices 20, 21 on the elevated device region 16 andthe recessed device region 18, an epi mask layer is formed atop theentire structure utilizing an epitaxial growth process. The epi masklayer may comprise an oxide, nitride, oxynitride or any combinationthereof, including multilayers. Preferably, the epi mask layer iscomprised of an oxide. The epi mask layer is then patterned bylithography and etching so as to protect the recessed device activearea. The structure including the deposited, patterned and etched epimask layer is shown, for example, in FIG. 3E. In FIG. 3E, referencenumeral 44 denotes the epi mask layer. As shown, the epi mask layer islocated atop exposed surfaces of the gate conductor 26 as well as theexposed surfaces of the first semiconductor layer 14.

The exposed second semiconductor layer 34 and the underlying secondburied insulator layer 32 in the elevated device region 16 are nowselectively etched stopping on a surface of the first semiconductorlayer 14. After the selective etching process, a conductive materialsuch as polysilicon is deposited, followed by a combination of chemicalmechanical polishing and recessing. In the embodiment shown, theisolation regions 30 and the spacers 42 in the elevated device region 16both serve as etch masks. Thus, the area etched will be self-alignedwith the isolation regions on one side and the spacers 42 on the otherside. The conductive filled area serves as the merged S/D regions 36 inthe elevated device region 16; See FIG. 3E.

In another embodiment, not shown, a separate mask is used such that theetched area and the conductive filled region are not self-aligned withthe isolation regions and the spacers. This embodiment of the presentinvention provides the structure shown in FIG. 2.

After forming the merged S/D regions 36, which may or may not beself-aligned with the isolation regions and the spacers, the epi masklayer 44 is removed from the structure utilizing a conventionalstripping process that selectively removes oxide or nitride.

Next, source/drain junctions 22, 35 are formed into the elevated deviceregion 16 and the recessed device region 18 at this point of the presentinvention. The junctions 22, 35 are formed by ion implantation andannealing. As shown, the junctions 35 in the elevated device region 16are located in portions of the second semiconductor layer 34, portionsof the second buried oxide 32 and the first semiconductor layer 14. Inregard to the source/drain junctions 22 in the recessed device region18, the junctions 22 are located only in the first semiconductor layer14. The implant and anneal conditions may vary depending on the exactmaterials and thickness of each layer present in the structure. Thisstep provides the structure shown in FIG. 1 or FIG. 2.

After providing the structure shown in FIG. 1 or 2 further CMOSprocessing steps including interconnect formation can be employed todevice completion.

As an alternative to the method depicted in FIGS. 3A–3E, the embodimentdepicted in FIGS. 4A–4D may be performed. In this alternativeembodiment, the structure shown in FIG. 3D is first provided using theprocessing steps mentioned above. Next, and as shown in FIG. 4A, asacrificial layer composed of an oxide or nitride, for example, isapplied to the entire structure shown in FIG. 3D and then lithographyand etching are used to provide a patterned sacrificial mask 50 atop therecessed device region 18. The sacrificial layer is formed utilizing aconventional deposition process such as chemical vapor deposition (CVD),plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD), chemical solutiondeposition, physical vapor deposition and the like. The etching used informing the patterned sacrificial mask 50 is carried out using reactiveion etching or wet chemical etching or another similar technique.

Conductive material 52 is then deposited via a conventional depositionprocess atop the structure shown in FIG. 4A. The conductive material 52is composed of polysilicon, epitaxial Si, metal or another likeconductor. The resultant structure including the conductive material 52is shown, for example, in FIG. 4B.

Next, the conductive material 52 is recessed down to the patternedsacrificial mask 50 by utilizing a combination of chemical mechanicalpolishing (CMP) and etching. This step of the present invention formsthe merged source/drain regions 36 into the elevated device region 16;See FIG. 4C.

After providing the structure shown in FIG. 4C, the patternedsacrificial mask 50 is removed from the recessed device region 18utilizing an etching process that selectively removes the sacrificialmaterial from the structure. The resultant structure formed afterremoval of the patterned sacrificial mask 50 from the recessed deviceregion 18 is shown, for example, in FIG. 4D. Next, the processing stepsas mentioned above in connection with FIG. 3E are performed providingthe final structure shown in FIG. 1. Alternatively, the processing stepsmentioned above in forming the non self-aligned merged source/drainregions can also be now performed to provide the structure shown in FIG.2.

While the present invention has been particularly shown and describedwith respect to preferred embodiments thereof, it will be understood bythose skilled in the art that the foregoing and other changes in formsand details may be made without departing from the scope and spirit ofthe present invention. It is therefore intended that the presentinvention not be limited to the exact forms and details described andillustrated, but fall within the scope of the appended claims.

1. A silicon-on-insulator (SOI) metal oxide field effect transistor(MOSFET) structure comprising: an elevated device region having at leastone semiconductor device located on a second semiconductor layer,wherein said elevated device region further comprises a source/drainjunction which extends through the second semiconductor layer to anunderlying first buried insulator layer, said first buried insulator isseparated from the second semiconductor layer by a first semiconductorlayer and a second buried insulator layer; a recessed device regionhaving at least one semiconductor device located atop said firstsemiconductor layer which is located on an upper surface of the firstburied insulator; and an isolation region laterally separating saidelevated device region from said recessed device region.
 2. The SOIMOSFET structure of claim 1 wherein the elevated device region furthercomprises a merged source/drain region that is self-aligned to an edgeof the isolation region and a spacer of the one isolation region locatedin the elevated device region.
 3. The SOI MOSFET structure of claim 1wherein the elevated device region further comprises a mergedsource/drain region that is not self-aligned to an edge of the isolationregion and a spacer of the one semiconductor device located in theelevated device region.
 4. The SOI MOSFET of claim 1 wherein the firstsemiconductor layer and the second semiconductor layer comprise the sameor different semiconductor material selected from the group consistingof Si, SiC, SiGe, SiGeC, Ge alloys, GaAs, InAs, InP, and other III/V orII/VI compound semiconductors.
 5. The SOI MOSFET of claim 4 wherein thefirst and the second semiconductor layers are strained, unstrained, or acombination of strained and unstrained.
 6. The SOI MOSFET of claim 4wherein the first and second semiconductor layers are homogeneous orheterogeneous layers.
 7. The SOI MOSFET of claim 4 wherein the first andsecond semiconductor layers have the same or different crystallographicorientation.
 8. The SOI MOSFET of claim 1 wherein the firstsemiconductor layer has a (100) crystallographic orientation and adevice located thereon is an nFET, and the second semiconductor layerhas a (110) crystallographic orientation and a device located thereon isa pFET.
 9. The SOI MOSFET of claim 1 wherein the first semiconductorlayer has a (110) crystallographic orientation and a device locatedthereon is a pFET, and the second semiconductor layer has a (100)crystallographic orientation and a device located thereon is an nFET.